Page 6 of Court of Rivals (Their Dragon Rider #1)

H arper

It’s our third day flying together, and the sun is starting to set. I know what that means. Time to rest. Which my ass, legs, and arms are endlessly grateful for. Who knew flying a dragon would be this physically intense?

“Where are we going to rest for the night?” I shout over the wind.

Ebron’s thoughts come to me loud and clear. Just up ahead. Unfortunately, I’m still healing from my attack or else we could push through longer into the night, if necessary.

“You seem to be doing very well.”

Dragons heal quickly, but we notice the changes in our bodies. I would not want to face a bone wyrm in the night in my current state.

I pet his scales. “I’m sorry. That was a brutal attack.”

He makes a low humming sound, almost like a cat purring.

Male dragons prefer to be alone for most of their lives, but when they get to a certain age, they start to feel restless.

They start to want more than their solitary life.

It’s clear to me that I’ve reached that point, because I enjoy your company. Even though you’re only human.

I’m not sure whether or not I should be flattered, or insulted. “I like your company too. I just feel like you’re like a pet that I’ve spent my whole life bonded to.”

Don’t call me a pet.

I laugh. “Sorry, I just sometimes think you can get closer to animals than you can ever get to people, because they have such pure hearts. They don’t have any bad intentions, they just are who they are. That’s how you are to me.”

He makes the humming sound again as I continue to pet him. Alright, I will try not to be insulted by your referral of me as a pet, but only because you are correct about animals. Humans are inferior to most of animal kind.

“Gee, thanks.”

To be fair, you’re better than sheep. Sheep smell far worse than most humans, they make terribly irritating sounds, and their flavor is boring. Sometimes I don’t even think they’re worth eating. I hate sheep.

“That’s quite the compliment. It’s nice to know I’m better than a sheep,” I mumble.

Sweeping down low above the treetops of the woods we’re flying above, I shout with happiness.

I don’t know what happened to me, but over the past few days I've come to love flying. I love everything about it. The wind. The sun on my back. The way I’ve never felt so alive.

It’s like I was made to be a dragon rider, which is silly, but it makes me feel better about my decision to go along with this crazy plan.

“How do you think it’ll go when we reach the academy? I’m kind of nervous about it.”

He gives a little snort laugh. We will arrive. They will bathe us in appreciation and admiration. We will lead all the dragon riders, and they will give thanks to us on our hands and knees. The females will show me their excitement for me in a different way.

I don’t know how to take that . I doubt the dragon riders will be that happy about us, and I don’t even want to think about how Ebron pictures the female dragons showing their excitement for him. The last thing I want to do is watch a bunch of horny dragons banging.

Ebron picks a place, and we land. It’s a nice clearing next to some apple trees, and I’m glad.

Over the past few days, Ebron has been finding places to drop me, then returning with charred animals for me to eat.

He lets me eat first, then devours everything I’ve left behind.

I appreciate it. And dragon-cooked meat is actually pretty good, but I’ve been craving something else.

He lifts his wing and helps me climb off his back. I slide to the ground, then stand back as he takes off into the air. Going to the apple trees, I go nuts, eating seven of the suckers before Ebron returns with something that looks like it used to be a cow.

I start eating, while he sits back and watches. “Is this the way it usually is with dragons and their riders?” I question as I rip off strips of meat.

He cocks his head, seeming to think. I don’t know.

My mother told me some tales of riders and their dragons, but dragon females are very different from males.

They learn to be cautious in all things, given that they’re smaller.

The world is a more dangerous place for them.

We males have the luxury of behaving however we want to behave because few creatures can harm us.

His words make me think. “That’s kind of what it’s like to be a human female.

My best friend, Arthur, was once confused why I was nervous walking home from town at night.

He thought with how much my father and grandfather trained me to fight, I’d feel confident walking home alone, but I don’t.

I can have all the training in the world, it doesn’t mean I want to put myself in dangerous situations.

The world isn’t a safe place, mostly due to men. ”

That is one difference between dragons and humans.

A dragon male would never harm a dragon female.

The reason they seek us out and wish to be our mates is because our first instinct is to protect females and hatchlings.

I would protect any female or hatchling, even if they were strangers to me, because that is what it means to be a male dragon. That is our duty.

“You kind of make me want to be a dragon,” I say with a laugh.

Everyone should want to be a dragon.

I smile. “You make me happy, Ebron.”

You make me happy too. I couldn’t have picked a finer rider.

His words make me feel warm, but I hope he’s right. I hope I’m the rider he deserves. And I hope the male riders are half as nice as he’ll be to the female dragons.

Pulling away from the meat, I say, “I’m done.” Then get as far away from the meat as possible.

Ebron devours it with no effort at all. I don’t even know if he swallows. The meat’s just there one second, and gone the next. It’s both impressive and terrifying.

“Sleep?” I ask.

He settles back down, so I can lie at his side, which is nice. The heat from his body keeps the chill of the night away. I head over, set my pack down as a pillow, and lie against him, already half asleep.

Yawning, I ask. “So, we’ll reach the academy tomorrow. Then, what’s the plan?”

We become epic warriors of legend and amaze everyone with our ability to fight the Hollowborn. Then, we’ll be worshipped like gods by all mankind and dragonkind alike.

“Good plan,” I say, smiling.

As I drift off to sleep, I think about what the academy will really be like. But as hard as I try to be realistic, my thoughts keep moving to an image of Ebron and I surrounded by dragons and dragon riders alike, being celebrated by all. Not worshipped, but loved and valued by all.